Germany's SDP Ousts Rau
To Keep Up Youthful Image

By

Cacilie Rohwedder Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

Updated March 18, 1998 12:01 a.m. ET

BONN -- In the latest attempt by Germany's Social Democratic Party to present a youthful face before the national election in September, the party forced the resignation of Johannes Rau, the SPD governor of North Rhine-Westphalia and a former candidate for chancellor.

Mr. Rau announced his resignation late Monday evening after a meeting of the SPD's steering committee earlier in the day. He has run North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's...